Improvement in potato-screens



G. CLAFLIN.

Potato Screens. -No. 140,886. Parented.1u|y1'5,1873.

AM PHaro -u mom/1mm cu NY. (esem/vele macfss) UNITED STATES PATENT OEEI GEORGE OLAFLIN, OF MILLERS OORNERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-SCREENS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,886, dated July 15, 1873; application filed March 6, 1873.

and operating as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 3, a crosssection.

A represents a frame, supported by legs a a, and consisting of a plain bottom, b, and vertical sides c e. At the front end is a spout, d, and at the rear end a sp0l1t,f If'desired, the framemay incline a little from rear to front. B represents the screen-frame. It consists of two side pieces, g g, connected by suitable cross-pieces h h. At their rear are handles t' fi, by which it is operated; and legs k lc, which support it upon the ground or door'. At the front is a cleat or follower, fm, which rides in close contact with the bottom b of the main frame A. At the front are also boxes, which hold friction-rollers a a, that roll upon the sides o c of the main frame. O C are the screens proper. They consist simply of bars or slats p p, nailed to cross-pieces r r, so as to form squares or sections, which flt into seats formed for them in the screen -frame B, as clearly shown. The front screen, G, is made coarser than the rear one, G. Theformer serves for screening the potatoes, and the latter for sifting out the dirt. They may be replaced by others of a coarser or iinertexture, at pleasure.

VThe operation is as follows: The screenframe B is drawn back so that the dirt-screen C projects from over the main frame. The potatoes are then thrown thereon, and a lateral shake given to the screen-frame, which sifts the dirt through, outside the main frame. The rear end of the screen-frame is then elevated, so as to give a pitch forward to the potatoes, and the screen-frame is at the same time moved forward over the bottom b of the main frame. The potatoes, in passing over the potato-screen C, become assorted, by the smaller ones passing through the slatsof the screen and the larger ones passing over the surface. The latter, falling in front of the cleat or follower m, are swept into spout d, and fall into a suitable receptacle. The former, falling in the rear of said cleat and upon the bottom b, are swept back' by a reverse motion of the screen-frame into the rear spout f. The cleat or follower simply forms a division on the floor I) between the large and small potatoes, as they are separated by the screen, and deposits them in the proper receptacles.

This apparatus is very simple in construction and easy in use, and saves much labor in asserting potatoes or similar articles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The screen-frame B, provided with the screens C C and cleat m, when combined with.

the main frame A, provided with the spouts d f, the whole so arranged that said cleat acts as a division between the screened potatoes, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. CLAFLIN.

Witnesses:

J oEN S.BR0WN1NG, NORMAN BENTLEY. 

